BenSpark
Today I get to talk with Mike of Mike’s Brew Review. No here’s a blog after my own heart. Mike why don’t you tell us about yourself.
Mike
My name is Mike Biewer and I live in the amazing city of Fargo, ND! We get a lot of really cold winters with lots of snow, which turns into flood waters the very next year! It’s pretty awesome. I’m married and have 2 cats. No kids. We have decided to try and span the globe before having children. We recently came back from a great trip in Japan.
I graduated the Art Institute with a degree in Media Arts and Animation and work as a graphic designer, motion graphics artist and video editor by day. However, my true passion lies in the world of beer! I’m an avid homebrewer and a beer blogger in my spare time. I also enjoy a good round of frisbee golf, Playstation 3, dice, a barbeque, hanging out on the lake, a good movie, book etc. I could go on and on.
BenSpark
Your day job sounds like my dream job and your passion is something I also really enjoy. It makes sense however that your blog is about your passion, please tell us more about the blog.
Mike
Mike’s Brew Review is a unique blog about the art of homebrewing and craft beer. The major goal of my site is to create more homebrewers by showing beer enthusiasts how easy, rewarding and fun it can be to homebrew.
There are really two unique things about Mike’s Brew Review. The first is that I am in talks with breweries around the country about doing something I’ve dubbed a “Brewers Highlight.” There are so many stories about all the different breweries out there that people just don’t hear. Through interviews with brewmasters and marketing people I get a slice of that story. I then pass this along to my readers followed up with a whole line up of that breweries beers. It’s great education for the beer nerd in all of us and great exposure for craft breweries and their brands. The first series should be releasing early next month and I’m kicking it off with a bang, one of the originals, Redhook Ale Brewery.
The other thing unique about Mike’s Brew Review is the homebrewing information. Sure its information that you can find out there by diggin though countless forum sites or heavily technical or wordy sites, but I take a different spin. Using my magazine design background and graphic design skills I try my best to create clear, easy to understand instructions about various topics within the homebrew world. I compile all the information into one easy and clear spot for people to read. I think it helps my generation and upcoming homebrewing generations to have more than just words and formulas. Plus you don’t get any “I heard someone did this” info, which drives me nuts! If you haven’t done it or seen it done, don’t open your mouth. Pictures, graphics and video.
BenSpark
I just went and started with a homebrew kit from Coopers that I got through MakeBeer.net. I enjoyed how the beer turned out but I must appear like a wicked neophyte to you. I think you touched on this a little above but why did you start blogging?
Mike
My blog is not very old. I launched in January of 2010. The main reason I started my blog was for myself. A journal if you would, of everything I learn and do in beer and brewing. You see, I brewed my first batch of beer last year and ever since I’ve been hooked on the idea of having my own brew pub. Everyone has the same idea, but I see no reason why someone can’t have a restaurant that brews their own beer and it be profitable. I don’t want to distribute across the nation or anything, just a little piece of the world to call my own.
So, I started studying. Drinking, brewing, reading, interviewing and talking with other bloggers. I stumbled into this huge community of awesome people and now the blog has become a bit more of my life than I originally anticipated as I learned it could be a viable business to support the establishing of my brew pub someday.
BenSpark
That sounds like an excellent plan, your beer brewing blog being used to fund your dream of running a brew pub. That is excellent. So you must monetize your blog some, do you? What are some companies that you work with?
Mike
LOL. Very, very, very little. I’m working on some different avenues to create different streams of revenue, but right now it is all affiliate marketing. I try to keep the ads relevant to the content or to the group of people that are reading my stuff. Believe it or not there are tons of homebrew supply stores out there and none of them do affiliate marketing. So guess who is getting a phone call from yours truly?
BenSpark
What is your stance on Disclosure?
Mike
I’m not 100% sure what you are asking here, but I’ll give it a whirl. My stance would be, I am who I am. I see what I see. I say what I say and I write what I write. If you don’t agree with it, fine, if you do agree with it, great, but the main reason my blog was started was so if I ever came back to it 100 years from now I could remember what I was thinking when I wrote it. So if I interview a friend that is the head of a multimillion dollar company, I’ll let you know because I’d rather you know than accuse me of hiding.
BenSpark
What is a Blogging Tip that you would share with the world?
Mike
You can’t make everyone happy so stop trying. Shake it and you’ll be successful.
BenSpark
Shake it and you’ll be successful? What is an interesting quote. What do you wish you knew when you started blogging?
Mike
That I wouldn’t have been naive and thought that blogging would be easy.
BenSpark
Since you do monetize your blog a bit can you tell me your favorite advertisers? Who would you want to work with?
Mike
All I have are affiliates, I don’t really go after advertisers. I don’t want to be hounding them for money or trying to fill their spots if they drop out. This could change. I would really like to work with some of the big name homebrew internet supply stores who don’t seem to be doing a whole lot on the internet.
BenSpark
What is the Ultimate Goal for a blogger, in your opinion?
Mike
Live a free life. The Ultimate Goal for me is to make a modest living, but be able to take a Friday off whenever I want to or work Saturday so I can take Monday off. Or if I have kids, leave early to get to their soccer game. All this without having to ask a boss. Its all about professional freedom.
BenSpark
Amen to that. I work a 9-5 and am int he middle of trying to transfer from one group to another because of my boss. I’d love to junk it all and work for myself however I earn the primary junk of our income and supply the health insurance so no leaving for me at the moment. Sorry, off on a tangent, back on task. Which one plugin would you suggest all bloggers to have?
Mike
All In One SEO – Great plugin!
BenSpark
That is a great plug in as long as you are not using Thesis. IF you use thesis you don’t need All-In-One SEO. What is the first thing you do when you fire up your browser?
Mike
Check my email, Twitter and Facebook. All the avenues in which people can contact me.
BenSpark
If you could spend one year blogging about a particular thing what would it be and why? How would you keep it fresh?
Mike
Aside from what I already blog about? If not, beer and homebrewing. If so, video games! I have lots of opinions! Who else is excited for the next 365 days of gaming?
BenSpark
The only game I am excited about is the Transformers War for Cybertron and it comes out today. I’d write about video games if I had started back when I was a Nintendo nerd from back in ’84. Another tangent. What is your best blog post ever?
Mike
According to my stats, a brew review I did for New Belgium Brewery’s Ranger IPA. Which do I think is the best? I really enjoyed my “How to Clean Bottles For Your Homebrew” article. It is similar information that is already out there, but it is designed in such a way that it has become a bit of an authority and has gotten great reviews from the community.
BenSpark
Authority articles like that are key. Great job on that article. How do people find that one and what are some odd keywords people use to find your blog?
Mike
“Will hops grow in Minnesota”
BenSpark
Outside of blogging what are your other interests?
Mike
Hmm…that’s a tough one. Drinking beer and homebrewing? Along with those, I like a lot of stuff. Some mentioned before so I won’t bore you with those details any more.
BenSpark
What is amazing about you?
Mike
Unlike a lot of people out there, I believe I’ve finally found what it is I like to do most. I found my passion, and its in beer and homebrewing. How profound…
BenSpark
Ipod or other music player?
Mike
Ipod touch for sure!
BenSpark
Pirates or Ninjas?
Mike
Nice! Ninjas!
BenSpark
Favorite Movie? TV Show? Book?
Mike
Still love The Matrix. Band of Brothers. Star Wars, The New Jedi Order series.
BenSpark
Do you play Facebook games?
Mike
Nope, I play Playstation and computer games. Facebook games are just a HUGE waste of time. Other games a little less a waste of time, they have a point.
BenSpark
What is the most motivational advice you can give other bloggers?
Mike
I tell myself every day that I can’t quit my day job that if I just keep going, have a good brand and have a passion. I can’t fail.
BenSpark
Favorite Blogs?
Mike
Robb Sutton Robb Sutton Ramped Up Pro Blogging
Lost In The Beer Aisle Lost In The Beer Aisle
Hopfentreader Hopfentreader
Billybrew Billy Brew
The Brew Dudes The Brew Dudes
BenSpark
Favorite Podcasts?
Mike
Brew Strong Brew Strong
BenSpark
How does someone connect with you online?
Mike
Twitter : http://twitter.com/mikebiewer
Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=283917460350
email : mike @ mikesbrewreview . com
BenSpark
Mike, thank you very much for agreeing to be interviewed. I know I had a great time and I love your blog. I think that if you continue to work on it you will achieve your dream of running that brew pub. We need more of those hand crafted gems all around. Good luck to you.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks Ben!
It was a lot of fun going through the questions. One of the main reason I enjoyed doing this is because as a non-problogger I’m still looking to create my voice. Doing things like this helps me to remind myself what I’m doing and why I’m doing it. Sort of a “step back and see” kind of thing.
I absolutely don’t think of you as a “neophyte”. Making beer from ingredients instead of buying them is truly and amazing thing that I think everyone should be doing. I truly feel it is no different than something like gardening. You grow your own vegetables for the exercise, satisfaction of creating something, taste, freshness and you save a little money on top of it. It is exactly like that. Just an all around fun thing to do with fun people and the hobby is growing very quickly.
I would love to hear more about your first brews. I don’t know if you noticed, but I’m working on a “First Time Homebrewer” series that is an interview that brings everyone back to their first brew. Maybe your interested?
Anyway, thanks again. I had a great time doing this and I hope all goes well for you.
Mike
Mike’s Brew Review
Mike,
Hit me up in a week and I will talk about my 1st experience with homebrew. Thanks again for coming by and doing an interview.